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Thread: Missing nib tips

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    Default Missing nib tips

    I won a vintage late 50's or early 60's Sailor on eBay. When I got it , it was missing the tips on the nibs. I didn't return it because I like the pen. I would try to repair it myself but it's beyond my repairing skills.
    1. Is it an expensive repair?
    2. Is it worth fixing given that I didn't pay much for it( under $20)?
    3. Who does such repairs?

    Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk

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    Senior Member AzJon's Avatar
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    Default Re: Missing nib tips

    If you have a nib retipped professionally it will run your around $80.

    doing it yourself requires the purchase and use of a pulse-welder and something to cut a new slit as well as something to grind the nib back into a usable shape.

    Greg Minuskin is someone that does nib retipping. I believe nibs.com also does retipping.

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    Default Re: Missing nib tips

    Quote Originally Posted by AzJon View Post
    If you have a nib retipped professionally it will run your around $80.

    doing it yourself requires the purchase and use of a pulse-welder and something to cut a new slit as well as something to grind the nib back into a usable shape.

    Greg Minuskin is someone that does nib retipping. I believe nibs.com also does retipping.
    I knew it was above my level of expertise. I'm going to think about it.

    Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk

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    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Missing nib tips

    Quote Originally Posted by Spideysgirl View Post
    I won a vintage late 50's or early 60's Sailor on eBay. When I got it , it was missing the tips on the nibs. I didn't return it because I like the pen. I would try to repair it myself but it's beyond my repairing skills.
    1. Is it an expensive repair?
    2. Is it worth fixing given that I didn't pay much for it( under $20)?
    3. Who does such repairs?

    Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk
    1. Is it an expensive repair? Yes, it's always expensive to retip nibs, and is only done on gold nibs. It's a very skilled job needing really expensive equipment.
    2. Is it worth fixing given that I didn't pay much for it( under $20)? Probably not. Just buy a new nib in that size and swap them over.
    3. Who does such repairs? Hardly anyone. I don't know anyone other than the two names already given.

    On the other hand, that's why the pen was $20. It didn't have a working nib and someone could have been sitting around with a broken pen and a reasonable nib.
    Last edited by Chrissy; March 3rd, 2019 at 12:50 AM.
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

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    Senior Member Pterodactylus's Avatar
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    Default Re: Missing nib tips

    I think there are also others which do such repairs, but not many.
    It depends also where you are located.

    The question it is worth the money depends on the pen and its real or sentimental value.
    Assuming that the retipping costs between 50 and 100€ it’s not out of the world to let a nice nib on a nice pen repaired.

    @Chrissy
    Also Steel nibs can be retipped (but only on rare vintage steel nibs it‘s worth a consideration), goldnibs.com offers it for example.

    If you are located in Europe I am aware of those:

    Goldnibs.com:
    https://m.facebook.com/retipping/

    Joseph Alardo in Barcelona:
    www.philartspen.com
    philartspen@yahoo.com

    Fpnibs.com

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    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Missing nib tips

    Quote Originally Posted by Pterodactylus View Post
    I think there are also others which do such repairs, but not many.
    It depends also where you are located.

    The question it is worth the money depends on the pen and its real or sentimental value.
    Assuming that the retipping costs between 50 and 100€ it’s not out of the world to let a nice nib on a nice pen repaired.

    @Chrissy
    Also Steel nibs can be retipped (but only on rare vintage steel nibs it‘s worth a consideration), goldnibs.com offers it for example.
    I'm not sure we really need to consider whether this particular pen has any sentimental value as it's just been bought on ebay for $20, so presumably that doesn't apply here.

    I'm not getting drawn into another argument about gold or steel nibs. There are plenty of steel nibs around that don't have any tipping to start with, so they don't need tipping before they can write well enough. On the other hand if you try writing with untipped gold nibs, you will just wear away the nib even more. That's why I said gold nibs. I wouldn't consider it worth any sort of a consideration to retip a steel nib, since a replacement one can be purchased for a fraction of the cost
    Last edited by Chrissy; March 3rd, 2019 at 01:59 AM.
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    Default Re: Missing nib tips

    If I had a Waterman Man 100 briar wood with an original nib that needed retipping, I would probably spring for it.

    If I had a Pelikan m400 with a nib that needed retipping, I'd probably just buy a new nib.

    It very much depends on the value of the nib, the availability of spares (eg Pelikan spares are very widely available for both new and vintage pens, Sailor maybe not), and whether you've got a special nib (eg flex, limited edition). Also, if a nib was a Bock or Jowo without customization, I might take the problem as a chance to use a Franklin Christoph SIG nib or a tweaked/nibmeistered one in that pen.

    But with Sailor, I don't think it's so easy to use nibs from other manufacturers and AFAIK spares are difficult to find, so retipping might be your best option. (I have two or three Sailors but I wouldn't say I know the brand particularly well, especially vintage.)

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    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Missing nib tips

    Quote Originally Posted by amk View Post
    But with Sailor, I don't think it's so easy to use nibs from other manufacturers and AFAIK spares are difficult to find, so retipping might be your best option. (I have two or three Sailors but I wouldn't say I know the brand particularly well, especially vintage.)
    This is probably right, but how do you get to write with an old Sailor pen that doesn't have a working nib? Buy another Sailor pen with a decent nib, have the damaged nib retipped at some considerable expense, or try to find a nib that fits it. Actually, I have no idea.
    My personal solution would have been to return the pen.
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

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    Senior Member Pterodactylus's Avatar
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    Default Re: Missing nib tips

    Quote Originally Posted by Chrissy View Post
    I wouldn't consider it worth any sort of a consideration to retip a steel nib, since a replacement one can be purchased for a fraction of the cost
    Not every steel nib can be replaced at a fraction of the cost.
    E.g look at during/pre WW2 Monblanc steel nibs, there I would like to see where you can replace them for a fraction of the cost

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    Default Re: Missing nib tips

    And it‘s also not a matter of the material value of the nib.
    A typical gold nib has also only a material value between 10 and mostly 20€.

    Just to mention it.

    Itˋs more a question how good, special or rare a nib is (not a matter of the nib material).

    In general personally I would only consider it for a exceptional flex nib (gold or steel).

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    Senior Member Sailor Kenshin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Missing nib tips

    Consider smoothing it into an italic?
    My other pen is a Montblanc.

    And my other blog is a tumblr!


    And my latest ebook, for spooky wintery reading:

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CM2NGSSD

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    Default Re: Missing nib tips

    When I said the value of the nib, I didn't mean the material value, but the value for collectors. My bad, I should have specified that. A Waterman Pink nib - worth retipping! the same for vintage flex.

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    Senior Member AzJon's Avatar
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    Default Re: Missing nib tips

    Quote Originally Posted by Spideysgirl View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by AzJon View Post
    If you have a nib retipped professionally it will run your around $80.

    doing it yourself requires the purchase and use of a pulse-welder and something to cut a new slit as well as something to grind the nib back into a usable shape.

    Greg Minuskin is someone that does nib retipping. I believe nibs.com also does retipping.
    I knew it was above my level of expertise. I'm going to think about it.

    Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk
    Its hard call to make. I have a Kendrick Bellamy nib that is a very well made, very flexible nib, that has lost its tipping. The pen it was pulled from was mostly destroyed, but from a historical perspective, the most I could find was that Kendrick Bellamy was a book store in Denver in the 1800s that also sold provisions. It was apparently one of the great book suppliers to the western US at the time. $80 on a nib that isn't sentimental to me personally, even with possible historical value, just isn't worth it. I have it kicking around, but that's about all it is going to do.

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